The best diet for a breastfeeding woman is well balanced and has plenty of calcium, This means eating fruits, vegetables, whole-grain cereals and bread, meats, beans and milk and dairy foods such as cheese.

A breastfeeding mom needs to get enough calories -- about 500 more per day than usual -- and needs to drink more fluids.

A balanced diet that includes 5 servings of milk or dairy products each day will provide enough calcium. If you don't eat meat or dairy products, you can get the calcium you need from broccoli, sesame seeds, tofu, and kale.

Talk to your doctor about taking extra calcium if you don't think you're getting enough from your diet. If you are concerned about the nutritional value of your breast milk, you can order one of our test kits.